"Top Leaders in Civilization 7 Ranked"

In *Civilization 7*, the introduction of the Ages mechanic revolutionizes the gameplay by allowing you to transition your civilization through Antiquity, Exploration, and Modern Ages. Despite these shifts, your chosen leader remains a constant throughout your journey, influencing your strategy with their unique abilities. These abilities can significantly impact your gameplay when paired effectively with your civilization's traits. To aid in your strategic planning, we've compiled a detailed tier list of the leaders, focusing on their strengths and weaknesses for a standard, single-player game. This guide will help you select the ideal leader to lead your empire into the Modern Age.

***Note:** This tier list does not take into account synergies with Civilizations, and is entirely focused on a standard, single-player game of Civilization 7. Multiplayer is not taken into account here, and we haven't included DLC Leaders Ada Lovelace or Simón Bolívar.*

Civilization 7 Leader Tier List

S-Tier - Confucius, Xerxes King of Kings, Ashoka World Conquerer, Augustus

A-Tier - Ashoka World Renouncer, Benjamin Franklin, Charlemagne, Harriet Tubman, Hatshepsut, Himiko High Shaman, Isabella, Jose Rizal, Machiavelli, Trung Trac, Xerxes The Achaemenid

B-Tier - Amina, Catherine The Great, Friedrich Oblique, Ibn Battuta, Lafayette, Napoleon Emperor, Napoleon Revolution, Tecumseh, Himiko Queen of Wa

C-Tier - Friedrich Baroque, Pachacuti

S-Tier Leaders

S-Tier: Ashoka, World Conquerer

Ashoka, World Conquerer, is a leader who thrives on maintaining high levels of Happiness within your empire while simultaneously exerting military pressure on rivals. With an additional +1 Production for every 5 excess Happiness in Cities and a +10% Production boost in Settlements not founded by you, Ashoka allows for rapid unit production and expansion. Declaring a Formal War triggers a Celebration, granting all Units a +5 Combat Strength against Districts, which can be a game-changer in aggressive strategies. Managing the unrest from newly conquered Settlements is crucial, but with effective Happiness management, Ashoka stands as one of the most formidable leaders in Civilization 7.

S-Tier: Augustus

Augustus excels in expanding through Settlements, encouraging a wide territorial strategy. With +2 Production in the Capital for every Town and the ability to purchase Culture Buildings in Towns at a 50% discount on Gold, Augustus transforms your Capital into a powerhouse fueled by your expanding network of Towns. His approach is straightforward yet highly effective, focusing on establishing numerous Towns—either through settlement or conquest—without the need to upgrade them to Cities, thereby saving resources and maximizing benefits.

S-Tier: Confucius

Confucius is the go-to leader for those aiming to dominate through rapid City growth and technological advancement. His +25% Growth Rate in Cities allows for swift territorial expansion, crucial in the early game for securing valuable Resources. Additionally, +2 Science from Specialists makes him one of the top Science producers, especially in the later stages of the game. While Confucius may require support in military defense, his ability to grow and advance technologically is unmatched, making him a top choice for long-term success.

S-Tier: Xerxes, King of Kings

Xerxes, King of Kings, is tailored for players pursuing a Military Victory. His +3 Combat Strength for Units attacking in neutral or enemy territory, combined with bonuses of 100 Culture and Gold per Age upon capturing a Settlement for the first time, incentivizes aggressive expansion. An increased Settlement limit per Age further supports this strategy, making Xerxes a straightforward yet highly effective leader for those who relish in conquest and military dominance.

A-Tier Leaders

A-Tier: Ashoka, World Renouncer

Ashoka, World Renouncer, shifts the focus from military expansion to population growth and city development. With +1 Food in Cities for every 5 excess Happiness and +10% Food in all Settlements during Celebration, this version of Ashoka emphasizes building a robust and populous empire. The +1 Happiness adjacency bonus for all Improvements adjacent to buildings further enhances city management, making Ashoka, World Renouncer, a strong choice for players who prefer a more peaceful, development-focused strategy.

A-Tier: Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin is ideal for players aiming for a Science victory. His +1 Science per Age on Production Buildings and +50% Production towards constructing them create a powerful feedback loop for rapid technological advancement. Additionally, his ability to have two Endeavors of the same type active at a time, coupled with +1 Science per Age for active or supported Endeavors, makes him exceptionally versatile and potent in the Science game.

A-Tier: Charlemagne

Charlemagne blends Military and Science effectively, leveraging Happiness to fuel his strategy. Military and Science Buildings gain a Happiness adjacency for Quarters, and entering a Celebration grants two free Cavalry Units and a +5 Combat Strength boost for Cavalry Units. This makes Charlemagne a formidable force in the early and mid-game, though his strategy may require adaptation in the Modern Age with the introduction of advanced units.

A-Tier: Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman excels in espionage and defensive strategies. With +100% Influence towards Initiating Espionage Actions and 5 War Support on all wars declared against you, she can disrupt opponents and maintain a strong defensive posture. Her Units ignoring movement penalties from Vegetation further enhances her mobility and defensive capabilities, making her a tricky opponent to pin down.

A-Tier: Hatshepsut

Hatshepsut's strengths lie in Culture and production, particularly through trade and river-adjacent cities. With +1 Culture for every imported Resource and a +15% Production boost towards constructing Buildings and Wonders adjacent to Navigable Rivers, Hatshepsut can rapidly advance along the Culture Legacy Paths, making her a top choice for players focused on cultural dominance.

A-Tier: Himiko, High Shaman

Himiko, High Shaman, is a powerhouse of Culture production. With +2 Happiness per Age on Happiness Buildings and a +50% Production bonus towards constructing them, coupled with a +20% Culture boost (doubled during Celebrations), Himiko excels in the Cultural Legacy Path. However, her -10% Science penalty (doubled during Celebrations) requires careful management to mitigate, making her a high-reward, high-risk choice.

A-Tier: Isabella

Isabella can gain a significant advantage by discovering Natural Wonders, earning 300 Gold per discovery (doubled in Distant Lands) and a +100% additional tile yield from them. Her focus on naval power, with a 50% Gold discount towards purchasing Naval Units and reduced maintenance costs, makes her a strong contender for early-game economic and naval dominance, though her effectiveness is map-dependent.

A-Tier: Jose Rizal

Jose Rizal's strategy revolves around maximizing the benefits of Celebrations. With a +50% Celebration duration and +50% Happiness towards Celebrations, coupled with additional Culture and Gold from Narrative Events, Jose Rizal can maintain a strong cultural presence and enjoy prolonged Celebration effects, making him a solid choice for cultural victories.

A-Tier: Machiavelli

Machiavelli is the master of diplomatic manipulation and sudden military action. With +3 Influence per Age and significant Gold gains from Diplomatic Action proposals, Machiavelli can quickly amass resources for military endeavors. His ability to ignore Relationship requirements for declaring Formal Wars and levy units from City-States makes him a versatile and potentially dangerous opponent.

A-Tier: Trung Trac

Trung Trac is tailored for those who wish to leverage the new Army Commander units effectively. With her Commanders starting with three free levels and a +20% Commander experience bonus, Trung Trac can build powerful armies quickly. Her +10% Science in Tropical Spaces (doubled during Formal Wars she declares) complements a strong Science and Military strategy, though her effectiveness is map-dependent.

A-Tier: Xerxes, The Achaemenid

Xerxes, The Achaemenid, focuses on economic and cultural expansion through Trade Routes and Unique Buildings/Improvements. With an additional Trade Route limit and significant Culture and Gold gains from creating Trade Routes and Roads, Xerxes can achieve substantial economic and cultural spikes, making him an excellent choice for players aiming for an Economic Victory.

B-Tier Leaders

B-Tier: Amina

Amina offers solid resource management with +1 Resource Capacity in Cities and +1 Gold per Age for each Resource assigned to Cities. Her +5 Combat Strength bonus for Units in Plains or Desert adds situational military value, making her a decent choice for players who can manage their resources effectively.

B-Tier: Catherine the Great

Catherine the Great excels in Culture production, particularly through Great Works. With +2 Culture per Age on displayed Great Works and additional slots for Great Works, she can accelerate through the Culture Legacy Path. Her Science bonus in Tundra cities adds a situational but powerful Science boost, though her effectiveness is dependent on terrain.

B-Tier: Friedrich, Oblique

Friedrich, Oblique, focuses on enhancing Army Commanders with the Merit Commendation and gaining Infantry Units from Science Buildings. While his abilities are useful, they lack the broader impact of higher-tier leaders, making him a solid but not standout choice.

B-Tier: Ibn Battuta

Ibn Battuta's flexibility with 2 Wildcard Attribute Points after the first Civic in every Age and unique Endeavors like Trade Maps make him a versatile leader. However, his effectiveness requires experienced play to maximize the benefits of his traits.

B-Tier: Lafayette

Lafayette offers steady Culture and Happiness gains, particularly in Distant Lands, and a unique Reform Endeavor for additional Social Policy Slots. While his traits are solid, they lack the specialization needed to stand out among higher-tier leaders.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Emperor

Napoleon, Emperor, thrives on negative relationships, gaining Gold from being Unfriendly or Hostile with other Leaders and using the Continental System Sanction to disrupt trade. However, managing the fallout from these actions can be challenging, requiring a strong military to back up his aggressive diplomacy.

B-Tier: Napoleon, Revolutionary

Napoleon, Revolutionary, offers +1 Movement for all Land Units and Culture gains from defending against enemy units. His unique playstyle can be effective but requires careful management to consistently trigger the Culture benefits.

B-Tier: Tecumseh

Tecumseh's strength lies in becoming Suzerain of City-States, gaining Food, Production, and Combat Strength bonuses for each one. However, achieving this status requires significant Influence and time, making his effectiveness dependent on strategic setup and patience.

B-Tier: Himiko, Queen of Wa

Himiko, Queen of Wa, focuses on building positive relationships, gaining significant Science bonuses from being Friendly or Helpful with other Leaders. Her unique Friend of Wei Endeavor further enhances Science production in alliances, though maintaining these relationships requires careful diplomacy.

C-Tier Leaders

C-Tier: Friedrich, Baroque

Friedrich, Baroque, offers a Great Work upon capturing a Settlement and an Infantry Unit when constructing a Culture Building. While these traits are useful, they lack the potency to compete with higher-tier leaders, making him a less impactful choice.

C-Tier: Pachacuti

Pachacuti's effectiveness is heavily dependent on the presence of Mountains, offering Food and Happiness bonuses from Buildings and Specialists adjacent to them. Without access to Mountains, his impact is significantly reduced, making him a risky choice for players without map control.